Milk-measurer



UNTTED STATES AUGUST O. JAOOBI, OF MIDDLETON, WISCONSIN.

MILK-MEASURER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,866, dated April20, 1897. Application filed September 26, 1896. Serial No. 607,073. (Nomodel.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST O. JACOBI, a citizen of the United States,residing at Middleton, in the county of Dane and State of Visconsin,have invented cert-ain new and usefulImprovementsinlVIilk-Measurers; andI do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a novel construction in'a machine for measuringliquids, and

although it can be applied and employed for measuring any liquid it isespecially adapted and designed for measuring skimmed milk.

This invention consists in the features of construction and combinationsof parts hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating this invention, Figure l is aside elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my inventionwith certain parts broken away for convenience of illustration. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the ball-sorting device and valve-actuatingtubes. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the lower end portion ofthe rod to which the float is attached. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view insection and in elevation of the lower end portion of the tube 37 and ofthe tube 3S. Fig. 5 is a perspective view in detail of the guide-slidesfor controlling the valves. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section of thetube 37. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective View of the float. Fig. 8 is afragmentary section illustrating the valve and the outlet-port of thetank l. Fig. 9 is a side elevation in detail of the alarm mechanism.Fig. l0 is a longitudinal section of the members shown in Fig. 5.

This invention is especially adapted for use in creameries where thefarmer brings the milk in in the morning, which, after being separatedfrom the cream by the separators, the farmer usually takes away withhim. Ordinarily in creameries a certain amount of milk yields a certainamount of cream, and the farmers, after delivering the milk, knowexactly, by weight or measure, the amount of skim-milk they are toreceive.

The objection to the present system of delivering the skim-milk is thatfor various causes, sometimes partiality on the part of the man whodispenses it, the last of the farmers receiving his skim-milk does notreceive the quantity that he is entitled to. Itis the object of thisinvention to overcome this objection by providing a machine that willweigh out or measure the exact quantity of skim-milk, so that there canbe no mistakefor instance, giving out three oiwfour more gallons than aperson should receive.

Referring now to said drawings, l indicates v the tank wherein theskim-milk is held. This tank, of course, in different creameries variesin size, location, Vand elevation, and since it is intended to placethis measuring device beneath the tank l means are provided whereby thesame is made adjustable to conform thereto. It will be understood, otcourse, that the size and shape of the tank l are immaterial and thatthis device is operative so long as it communicates with the lower endof said tank.

This invention consists of a tank 2 and of the devices for admitting themilk from the tank l into the tank 2 and for allowing it to run from thetank 2. Itis preferable to hang this tank 2 from the upper tank, andthis manner of supporting it will be adopted where it is feasible.

In the bottom of the tank lis an outletport 3, situated over the tank 2and controlled by the valve 4t, the stem 5 of. which extends downwardlynear the lower end of the port 3, and a slot 6 is made in the side ofthe port 3, through which a lever 7 can project to be connected with thelower end of the stem 5. On the opposite side of the tank 2 and at itsupper end are two sockets 8 to receive the lower depending ends ofanarched bar 9, and these ends are secured in place by set-screws l0.This arched bar 9 is made adjustable, so that when setting up themachine it can be regulated according to the available space. Mountedupon one limb of this arched bar is a cross-piece l1, one end of whichis provided with an eye and set-screw to receive and hold the pipeleading from the port of the upper tank, thus making it adjustable forthe purposes referred to. The other end of the crosspiece 1l is providedwith a loop 12 and setscrew 13 to receive the upper end portion of thevalve-actuatin g tube to be described hereinafter. v

Between the ends of the cross-piece 11 is a slot 14, and connectedwithin this slot is a hanger 15, to the lower end of which is pivotedthe lever 7, that operates the valve 4. The end portion 16 of this lever7 is bent or turned down at the end, where it is connected with the stemto prevent the milk from running along the lever and over the sides ofthe tank. This lever 7 is also provided with a weight 17 adjacent to thevalve, so that it will normally hold the valve closed.

In the lower end of the tank 2 is an outletport'18, communicating withthe pipe 19. This port is controlled by a valve 20, having a dependingstem 21, which is pivoted to a lever 22, extending through a slot 23 insaid tube 19.

This lever 22 is pivoted to a bracket 24, secured to the bottom of thetank. Around the tube and below the slot 23 is a cup-shaped receptacle25 to catch the milk that passes through the slot 23. The end of thelever 22 is also bent or turned down to prevent the milk from ruimingalong the same.

Situated within the tank 2 is a iioat 26, held in position by guides 27and guide-rods 28. This float has a stem 29 rising centrally from thesame and passing through a guide-bar 30, fastened to the top of the tankand extending over and on the outside of the tank and having adownwardly-projecting limb 31. This stem 39 has a coupling 32 close tothe iioat, whereby it can be removed to permit the removal of a iioatwhen it is necessary to clean it. The connection between said iioat andstem is made by providing an upright opening 33 through the center ofthe float, through which the 'stem passes, and providing two plates 34above and below the 'float to be held in place bya nut 35, as shown,while to keep the `float in'shape and prevent it from bending aplurality of arms 36 bear against the upper face of the saine. Thesearms extend from the stem 2f).

The device for controlling and regulating the operation of the valveswill now be described. Situated adjacent to the lower tank in an uprightposition are two tubes 37 and 38. The tube 37 extends from a point alittle above the top of the tank 2 almost to the lower end of this tank,while the tube 38 extends from a point a little above the lower end oftube 37 to a little distance below the lower end of this tank 2. Theadjacent ends of these tubes are connected together as a convenientconstruction and are suitably supported from the tank 2, as shown. Theupper tube 37 is termed the inlet-valve-operating7 tube and the lowertube the outletvalve-operating tube. On the outside of tube 37 are aplurality of openings corresponding in number to the differentquantities of milk that the machine is to measure. It is usually tenpounds, twenty-live pounds, fifty pounds, and one hundred pounds. Theseopenings a, b, c, and d in the tube 37 are to receive different-sizedballs that serve to operate the machine. These balls are placed in thehopper 40, the lower end of which is located over the outer ends of aseries of tracks A, B, C, and D. The other ends of these tracksterminate adjacent to the openings a, b, c, and d, respectively. Thedifferent tracks are intended to assort the balls. For this purpose theupper track D is made wide enough to allow all the balls except the oneintended for this track to pass between the sides of the same, and thedifferent tracks are graduated and so vary in size that they will onlystop the ball intended for that particular track.

The hopper 40 is angular, so that it will be impossible to throw a ballstraight onto any one of the tracks, the shape of said hopper causingthe balls to fall vertically. Just below each of the openings a, Z9, c,and el and on the opposite side of the tube are other openings a', b,c', and d. Fastened to the tube 37, adjacent to these openings a', b,c', and CZ, is an upright guide 41, having a series of slides a2, b2,c2, and cl2. These slides are arranged to control the openings next towhich they are located and are arranged and constructed in the followingmanner: The width of the guide 41 varies according to the number ofholes which are controlled by it. For instance, the guide has fourdifferent widths, and consequently the slides a2, h2, c2, and d2correspond therewith. The different portions of the guide are separatedby upwardly-facing shoulders 42, so that, for instance, the slide (Z2cannot pass below the shoulder at thelower end of this portion of theguide, and so on with the others. The slides are so arranged that whenthey rest upon their respective shoulders the openings which theycontrol are closed, and the upper and lower edges of these slides areeut away, so that when they come together they form an opening throughwhich a ball can passfor instance, the lower cut-away edge of the slided2 and the upper cut-away edge of the slide c2. When these slides arebrought together, they form an opening that will register with theopening CZ. The other slides are similarly arranged, with the exceptionthat the lowest or slide d2 simply passes suiiciently about the openinga to clear the same. The shoulders 42 Jform stops to limit the lowermovement of these slides, while the upper ends of tube 38 form a stopfor slide co2. The upper end of tube 38 is open and just below theopenings in tube 37, so that when the balls rollout through the openingsin said tube 37 they will drop into the upper end of tube 38, guide-rods43 being preferably used to direct the falling of a ball.

The lower end of the tube 38 is provided at one side wit-h a slot 44,through which the outer end of lever 22 projects and stands across thistube 38. The outer face of the tube 38,about opposite the slot 44, isprovided IOO IIO

with an opening 45, which is -controlled by a slide 46, having anopening 47 therein. When this slide 46 is at the upper limit of itsmovement, the opening 45 is closed, and is opened by the descent of theslide.

Referring again to the tube 37, through the side of this tube and justbelow each of the openings a, 5, c, and d are pairs of slots 4S. Thelever 7 extends outwardly adjacent to the tube 37 and is pivotallyconnected with the upper end of a rod 49, that extends the entire lengthof the tube and is connected at its lower end with slide 4G. This rod 49is provided with a plurality of arms 50, in the case illustrated fourinrnumbeigwhich extend into the slots 48, and consequently across thetube 37.

As shown in detail, within the tube 37 are arranged defiecting-ingers 5land 52. The finger 5l is secured to the interior of the tube, near thelower edge of the openings a', b', c', and d', while the finger 52 issecured to the tube on the opposite side thereof and at the lower edgeof openings a, b, c, and d, It will thus be seen that these lingersserve to guide the balls outwardly and prevent them from accidentallyremaining in the tube.

The connection between the upper end of rod 49 and lever 7 isadjustable, being secured by making a plurality of openings in said rod49 to receive a pin on the lever 7.

The depending limb 3l, carried by the float, is provided with a lateralprojection 54, that engages a hook or eye 55 on the lower slide a? ofthe tube 37.

To arrange an alarm to give notice when the tank is empty, I attach uponthe crossplate 30 a bell 56. The stein of thisbell is pivotallysupported by two ears upon the plate 30 and has a spring-arm 57 to holdthe bell down. An operating-finger 5S is mounted upon the same pivot asthe bell-stem to engage the bell-stem when it is pressed downwardly, butto rise without contact therewith. The projection 56/ of the float indescending will press the operating-finger downwardly, and when itreleases the same the spring-arm 57 will throw the bell back and ringit.

The parts of my invention being arranged and constructed as described,the operation is as follows: lVe will suppose, for instance, that thetank l contains milk and the tank 2 is empty and it is desired todeliver fifty pounds of milk. The operator would place in the hopper aball that would pass by track D and fall upon track C. This ball passingdown track C will enter the tube 37 through openings c, and, fallinginsaid tube upon the finger 50, extending across the same, will press saidiinger down the length of the slot 4S, thereby opening the valve andallowing the milk to flow into the lower tank. The valve in the lowertank normally stands closed. As the milk flows into the lower tank itwill raise the loat 26, and this float carries with it the lower slidea2. As the float continues to rise the slide a2 will come in contactwith the lower edge of slide h2, which in turn comes in contact withslide c2, and then when the continued rising of .the float brings thecut-away portion of slides h2 and c2 opposite the opening c in tube 37,the ball which has been retained in` this tube will'now roll out throughthe opening and fall into the tube 3S. As soon as this ball leaves thetube 37 the mechanism for operating valve 3 being released, this valvewill close immediately, while the ball falling into the lower tube 37will strike the inner end of lever 22 and open the valve 2O of the lowertank. The ball is retained in the lower tube by reason of the fact thatwhen it passes out ot the tube 37 and permits the finger 50 to rise therod 49 rises also and lifts the slide 4G to close the opening 45. Themilk will now pass out through the pipe 19 of the lower tank and thefloat will descend gradually until all the milk is drained oli", whenthe parts will be in their original positions. W'hen another ball isplaced in the hopper 40, it will operate the valve 4 in the same manneras already described, while it will be noticed that as it presses therod 49 downwardly it will also move the slide 46 downwardly and bringthe opening 47 therein opposite the opening 45 of the tube 3S and allowthe first ball to pass out of the same.

Having now fully described this invention, what I claim as new is l. Thecombination with a tank having an inlet controlled by a Valve, a fingerconnected with said valve and extending into a tube or passage, anoutlet for said tank having a valve controlled by a finger extendinginto another tube or passage, openings into the Lipper tube or passagefor the passage of a ball, a slide controlling the outlet-passage ofsaid ball, and a iioat situated within said tank and connected with saidslide, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a tank having an inlet provided with a valve 4,an outlet provided with a valve 20, an upright tube or passage 37 havinga plurality of openings in opposite sides thereof, a plurality of slidescontrolling one set of said openings, a float in said tank connectedwith the said slides, an upright rod 49 having a plurality of lingersextending into said tube 37 and connected with said valve 4 to operatethe same, a tube 3S open at its upper end and located adjacent to saidtube 37, a lever 22 connected with the valve 2O and extending into saidtube or passage 38, and a slide 46 controlling an opening 45 therein,said slide being connected with the said rod 49, substantially asdescribed.

3. ln 'a machine of the kind specified, in combination with the floatand valve-operating mechanism, of a hopper 40, a plurality of tracksvarying in size leading from said hopper 40 to a series of openings inthe tube 37, a series of openings in the other side of said tube 37, aguide adjacent to said latter set of openings, said guide being providedat intervals with stops, a plurality of slides situated IOO IIO

io cent to said lever and controlled by a slide,

said slide being connected with the mechanism for operating the uppervalve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

d AUGUST C. JACOBI. Vitnesses L. XV. KARBERG, W. F. PIERsToRFF.

